Safety flash-light for elevators.



l. J. RACHLIN.

SAFETY FLASH LIGHT FOR ELEVATORS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. e. 1914.

1 1 8 1 ,513 Patented May 2, 1916.

PV/ TNESSES ISRAEL J. RACHLIN, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

SAFETY FLASH-LIGHT FOR ELEVATORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Application filed March 6, 1914. Serial No. 822,824.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISRAEL J. RAOHLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Flash-Lights for Elevators. of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make. construct, and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. and to numeralsof reference marked thereon. forming a part of this specification.

This invention has for its object to provide means for illuminating the threshold of a door leading into the elevator car.

Many accidents are caused in attempting to enter or leave an elevator car owing to the car being stopped with its floor out of the level of the floor of the adjacent landing. This is particularly true of the car where the well is not well-lighted, so that the passenger is notable to see the difference in level.

The invention consists in a safety flash light system for an elevator car, comprising a light adapted to flash across the door ofthe car at the gateway thereto, electrical connections for said light,in combination with the operating lever of the car for automatically lighting said light when the lever is thrown to stop the car, and to be automatistructions and combination of parts hereinafter set forth.and particularly specified in the claims and will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification. and in which Figure 1 represents a plan view of my improved switch. partly in. section. and with the cover partly broken away. Fig. 2 represents a central longitudinal section of the same. Figs. 3 and 4 represent transverse sections of the switch taken on lines am and of Fig. 1. and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 5 represents a diagrammatic view illustrating the device in position in an elevator car: and Figs. 6 and 7 represent respectively side and plan views of the device secured to the inside of the carand in combination with the operating lever of the car controller.

Similar numerals of reference refer to like parts throughout the specification and drawings.

The illuminating device consists of an incandescent lamp 1 as shown in the drawings, which is preferably provided with a reflecting hood 2 which directs the rays of light dowmvardly on the threshold of the door leading into the landing and on the floor of the car. The reflecting hood 2 may be ofthe ordinary or any preferred construction. The lamp 1 is secured in any suitable manner near the floor of the car, and is connected by a flexible cable with the ordinary lighting circuit 3. From this source of electrical energy 3, the circuit is traced through wire 4 to the lamp 1. from the lamp 1 through wire 5 to one of the contact plates on the switch 6. and from a second contact plate on said switch Gthrough wire 7 to circuit 3.

For automatically turning on the light when the elevator or car approaches a stopping point, and for extinguishing same when the car is again started, I arrange the switch 6 in close proximity to the operating lever 8 of the controller 9. Said switch is secured to the interior of the car and provided with contacts arranged on the ends of pimted levers. the ends of which project into the path of the operating lever of the car, so as to be alternately actuated by the operating lever of the car. thereby completing and breaking the light circuit. The switch 6 consists of a suitable casing 10 provided with a suitable cover 11.

12 represents a block of insulating material secured to the casing 10 in any suitable manner, as by means of screws 20, upon which are mounted the spring contacts 13. 14 and 15 in any convenient or desired manner. The wire 5 is preferably connected to the contact 14 and the wire 7 is connected to the contact 15. These wires are properly insulated from the switch casing by the insulating bushing 21.

16 represent brackets of any convenient form secured to the casing 10 in any con venient manner. and upon which are pi"- otally mounted the spring-pressed contact carrying levers l7. Secured to the ends of the levers 17 are the contacts 18. properly v having light-circuit insulated therefrom by means of the insulation 19. These contactslti are adapted for being alternately placed in electrical connection with the contacts 13 and H and 13 and 15. which respectively comprise spring jaws for maintaining perfect contact with the contacts 18.

The levers 17. as illustrated in the drawings. are se f'ured to the brackets 16 by means of screw-threaded studs 22. which pass through suitable apertures in the brackets 16 and secured thereto by means of nuts 23 screw-threzuled engagement with said studs. A spiral-spring 24 is interposed between the under side of the head of the stud '22 on one side of the level-.17 to always properly maintain the lever in position. The levers 17 are further provided with outwardly extending tail pieces and 26, designed to pass through suitable slots 27 arranged in the cover 11.

lVhen the parts of the device and the operating lever 8 of the controller 9 are in the position indi-ated in the several views of the drawings. the car is at one of the landings, the threshold of the door leading into the elevator car is illuminated, and the is completed. When the operating lever in either direction. asfoi' instance. toward the right. the same will engage with the tail'piece 25 of the lever 17 and the lever 17 will therefore be thrown into the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings. thereby breaking the light circuit. and causing the light to be extinguished until the operating lever 8 is again brought back to itsoriginal position.thereby engaging with the tail-piece 26 of the lever 17. in which case the llght circuit is completed.

I have shown and described my invention as applied to electrically operated elevators in which the car is ordinarily provided with a controlling switch. but it is to be understood that my invention may be applied to hydraulic elevators of a type having a lever or arm in which the car is brought to a stop when the operating lever is in vertical position.

Experience has demonstrated that the organization above described is a highly etlicient one. and while the structure described is the preferred ei'iibodiment of my present invention. I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction. combination and arrangement herein shown and described. as obvious modifications of the same will appear to those skilled in the. art, and such variations thereof not involving the exercise of invention. I consider within the scope and terms of my claims.

8 of the controller 9 is moved secured in said casing by the controlling.

lever of the car during the up "ard and down and movement of the car.

2. A safety flash light apparatus for illuminating the threshold of elevators. comprising in combination with the car controlling lever. a switch con'iprising a casin said casing provided with a cover having suitable openings. spring-jaw contacts secured in said casin brackets secured in said -'asing. a spring-pressed two-armed lever pivoted to each of said brackets for alternate engagement with the car controlling lever. each lever provided with a contact adapted for alternate engagement with the spring-jaw contacts secured in said casing by-the controlling lever of the -ar during the upward and downward movement of the car. I

3. A safety flash light apparatus for illuminating the threshold of elevators. comprising in combination with the car controlling lever. a switch comprising a casin said casing provided with a cover having suitable openings in alinement. spring-jaw contacts secured in and insulated from said casing. a pair of spring-pressed contact carrying levers. each provided with two arms pivoted in said casing. said arms projecting through the openings in said cover. one of said arms being designed for engagementwith the operating lever for breaking the light circuit and the other of said arms being designed forengagement with said lever for completing the light circuit. each lever provided with a contact adapted for alternate engagement with the spring-jaw contacts secured in said casing by the controlling lever of the car during the upward and downward movement of the car.

This specification signed and witnessed this sixth day of January. 1 14.

ISRAEL .i. RACHLIN.

\Vitnesses CHARLES F. VoNHoF, E. NEUMANN. 

